Original Douay–Rheims AnnotationsExodus 20

Strange gods.

^[1] Protestants pretend here to prove, that all Catholics are Idolaters, for honoring Saints, and their Relics and Images. And they have so defamed Catholic Religion in this behalf, that the vulgar sort of deceived people, otherwise knowing Catholics to be ordinarily of moderate conversation in life, of just dealing towards their neighbours, addicted to prayer, fasting, alms, and many good works, more wanting among themselves ^[2]: yet supposing them, notwithstanding these laudable qualities, to be Idolaters, are thereby averted from Catholic Religion. And surely it were a just cause, if it were true. As well therefore to purge ourselves of so heinous an imputed crime, as to remove this dangerous block of erroneous conceit, we shall here note some of the Protestants' egregious lies against the whole Church militant, and blasphemous reproaches against the glorious Saints: then briefly declare the true and sincere doctrine and practice of the Catholic Church in this point. ^[3] Luther in his postil upon the Gospel of our Lord's Incarnation, saith: Papistæ Virginem Mariam Deum constituunt: Omnipotentiam ei in coelo, & in terra tribuunt. The Papists (saith he) make the Virgin Mary God: they attribute to her omnipotency in heaven and in earth. In Papistry all expected more favour and grace from her, than from Christ himself. His scholar Melancton (in locis communib.) postiling the first Precept, saith: Papists invocate Saints, and worship Images in heathenish manner. Calvin (li. de necess. refor. Eccles.) saith: those of the Emperor's religion (meaning all Catholics) so divide God's offices among Saints, that they join them to the Sovereign God, as colleagues; in which multitude God lieth hidden. ^[4] Against the most glorious virgin mother the same Luther (ser. de natali virg. Mar.) feared not to say, that he esteemed no more of the prayer of S. Mary, than of any one of the people. And his reason is worse than his wicked assertion, for that, saith he, all that believe in Christ are as just, and as holy as the virgin Mary, or any other Saint how great soever. The Magdeburgian Centuriators (li. 1. Cent. 1.) affirm that the virgin Mary sinned grievously, yea compare her imagined faults with the sin of Eve in paradise. (li. 2.) They charge S. Peter and S. Paul (also after their conversions) with diverse great crimes. Calvin (li. 3. Inst. c. 2. parag. 31.) condemneth Sara and Rebecca of great sins (c. 4.) reprehendeth Judas Machabeus for superstitious, and preposterous zeal, in causing Sacrifice to be offered for the dead. In his commentary (in 32. Exodi) he accuseth most holy and meek Moyses of arrogancy and pride And (li. 3. Instit. c. 20. pa. 27.) he scurvily scoffeth at all Saints in general, saying: If they hear mortal men's prayers, they must have ears so long, as from heaven to earth. And calleth them not only homines mortuos, dead men, (which S. Hierom reproved in Vigilantius) but also umbras, larvas, colluviem: shadows, night goblins, stinking filth: yet more, (li. de vera refor. Eccles. rat.) he calleth them Monstra, carnifices, bestias, monsters, hangmen, beasts. ^[5] These and like blasphemies modest men cannot but abhor and detest. ^[6] Their lies also are convinced by S. Hierom, handling this matter of purpose against Vigilantius, by S. Augustine touching it by occasion (li. 20. c. 21.) against Faustus the Manichee, Thomas Waldensis (To. 3. tit. 13. de Sacramentalibus) against Wiclif, by all Catechisms and Christian Instructions, teaching nothing like, but quite contrary to these men's reports. ^[7] In sum they all teach, that Saints are to be honoured with religious honour, which is greater than civil, but infinitely inferior to divine, as the excellency of God surmounteth all excellency created.

• 1 Protestants charge all Catholics to be Idolaters.
• 2 They abuse their followers.
• 3 They belie the Church militant.
• 4 Blaspheme the triumphant
• 5 All modest men will condemn these blasphemies.
• 6 Catholic doctrine & practice convince their lies.
• 7 The true Catholic doctrine.

For better declaration whereof, it is to be considered, that seeing by the law of God and nature honour is due to excellency ^[1], there must be so many distinct kinds of honour, as there be general kinds of excellency, which are three ^[2]. The first of God, infinite, and incomparably above all: the second is supernatural, but created, as of grace and glory: the third is human or natural, consisting in natural gifts, or worldly power and dignity, all three as distinct as God, heaven, and earth. To these three general kinds of excellency pertain therefore other three as distinct kinds of honour ^[3], to wit, Divine due to God only, called by use and appropriation of a Greek word Latria: the second Dulia, belonging to Saints, and other holy things, elevated by God above the course of nature, in diverse degrees, but within the rank of creatures: the third is civil honour, due to human and worldly excellency, according to diverse states and qualities of men. The first of these, which is divine, may in no case be given to any creature, how excellent soever. The third which is civil, as both Catholics and Protestants hold for certain, is not competent nor agreeable to Saints, but to mortal worldly men in respect of temporal excellency. And the controversy therefore is about the second. Which Calvin (li. 1. Instit. c. 11. & 12.) and all ^[4] Protestants writers deny & reject, and so would have no honour at all given to Saints. ^[5] Objecting as old heretics did, that Catholics do all the same external acts, as standing bare-head, bowing, kneeling, praying, and the like to Saints, as to God himself. ^[6] We answer, that the distinction of honour consisteth not always in the external action, but in the intention of the mind. For when we do such external acts of honour to God, we intend thereby to honour the Creator and Lord of all, and so it is divine honour; but doing the same external acts to a Saint, we conceive of him, as a glorious servant of God, and so we honour him as a sanctified and glorified creature, God's subject and servant. ^[7] Without this diversity of intention in your mind, you cannot shew difference between the honour you do to God, and that you do to the king, by bowing, kneeling, and the like. For it is the same external action: yet no Christian doubteth but he honoureth God with divine honour, & the king with civil. ^[8] Again we answer, that we do not all the external actions of honour to Saints, which we do to God. For Sacrifice is done only to God, and to no Saint; and because Altars pertain to Sacrifice, they are erected to God only, though oftentimes in memory of Saints.

• 1 Honour due to excellency.
• 2 Three kinds of excellency.
• 3 Therefore three kinds of honour.
• 4 Protestants deny any honour to be due to Saints.
• 5 Their objection.
• 6 First answer.
• 7 Example of this necessary distinction.
• 8 Second answer.

Both which answers ^[1] S. Augustin gave long since to Faustus the Manichee arguing that Catholics by doing the same external acts, worshipped Martyrs with divine honour, and so turned them into Idols, as that heretic inferred. Whereupon S. Augustin declareth ^[2], that Christian people celebrate together the memories of Martyrs with Religious solemnity, to stir up imitation, to be partakers of their merits, and to be holpen by their prayers. Yet so that we erect not Altars (because they are for Sacrifice) to any Martyr, though in memory of Martyrs, but to God of Martyrs. For who ever standing at the Altar, in places of Saint's bodies, said: We offer to thee Peter, or Paul, or Cyprian, ^[3] but that which is offered, is offered to God, who crowned the Martyrs, at their memories, whom he crowned, that by commonition of the very places, greater affection may arise, to enkindle charity, both towards them, whom we may imitate, and towards him, by whose help we may. We honour Martyrs with that worship of love and society, wherewith holy men are worshipped in this life. Whose heart we perceive is prepared to like sufferance for the Evangelical verity: but Martyrs more devoutly, by how much more securely, after all uncertainties are overcome, and with how much more confident praise, we preach them now victors in a more happy life, than others yet fighting in this. But with that worship, which in Greek is called Latria ^[4] , a service properly due to God, which in Latin cannot be expressed by one word, we neither worship, nor teach to be worshipped but one God ^[5]. And for so much as offering of Sacrifice pertaineth to this worship (whereof they are called Idolaters, that offer sacrifice to any Idols) we by no means offer any such thing, nor teach to be offered, either to any Martyr, or blessed soul, or holy Angel. Thus far S. Augustin. The same teacheth Theodoret (li. 8. ad Græcos) Our Lord hath deprive false gods of honour, they had in Temples, and in place of them caused his Martyrs to be honoured: yet not in the same manner, for we neither bring hosts, nor libaments to Martyrs, but honour them, as holy men, and most dear friends of God. It would be too long to cite many ancient Fathers, testifying and teaching that Saints are to be honoured.

• 1 S. Augustin declareth this doctrine: and giveth both the former answers.
• 2 li. 22. c. 21.
• 3 Three causes of celebrating Saints' memories.
• 4 Latria is honour proper to God.
• 5 Sacrifice only to God.

^[1]

More compendiously we will take our adversary's confession, the Magdeburgian Centuriators. Who (Pref. Cent. 6.) holding that the Church was only pure from idolatry the first hundred years of Christ, and that it began to fail in the second and third age, more in the fourth and fifth, and was utterly perished in the sixth, impute the cause of her ruin, that the very chief men taught and practised the honour to Saints. First of all (say they) these horrible and pernicious darkness, as certain black clouds covering the whole firmament, rose up in the very assembly of teachers. For that partly the very Doctors of the Church, partly other superstitious men, augmented ceremonies and human worships in the Temples. For sacred houses began to be built in all places, with great cost, altogether in heathenish manner: not principally to the end, God's word might there be taught ^[2], but that some honour might be exhibited to the Relics of Saints, and that foolish people might there worship dead men. And how pleasantly eloquent is that ^[3] Gregory, called the Great, how fervent, when as from his three footed stool, he preached the manner of consecrating these houses? And a little after. By this occasion dead creatures, and bloodless half worm-eaten bones began to be honoured, invocated, and worshipped with divine honour. All which The Doctors of the Church not only winked at, but also set forward. Thus the reader seeth, notwithstanding their lies, scoffs, and blasphemies, Protestants do confess, that the Church and her chief pillars, straight after the first hundred years of Christ, five hundred next following, honoured Saints and their Relics. Neither want there authentical examples of holy Scriptures, whereby the same is proved. As Gen. 32. 48. Exodi. 3. 32. Num. 22. Josue 5. 3. Reg. 18. 4. Reg. 2. Psalm. 98. and elsewhere.

• 1 Protestants confess that the ancient Fathers honoured Saints, and their Relics.
• 2 Manna was put in a golden vessel. Heb. 9.
• 3 How saucy are heretics to scoff at so renowned a Doctor!

A graven thing.

^◦ Here the same falsifiers of Christian doctrine do not only pervert the sense of holy Scripture, wresting that against Images, which is spoken against Idols, but also shamefully corrupt the text, by translating graven image, neither following the Hebrew, Greek, nor Latin. For the Hebrew word, pesel, is the very same that sculptile in Latin, that is a graven or carved thing. The Greek hath ἐὶδωλον, an idol. So all Protestants' English Bibles are false.

In the mean time till they correct their books, they may please to remember, that God shortly after this (Exod. 25.) commanded to make Images of Angels ^[1], to wit Cherubins. Likewise a brazen serpent (Num. 21.) Also oxen and Lions (Reg. 6. & 7.) Neither are Puritanes so precise, but that they engrave, carve, print, paint, cast, sow, embroider, and otherwise make and keep Images, portraits, and pictures of men, and other things. As for worshipping of sacred Images the second Councel of Nice (Act. 4.) The Councel of Trent (sess. 25.) S. Gregory the Great (li. 7. ep. 5. & 53.) S. Damascen in diverse whole books, and many others, and all Catholic Catechisms and Christian Instructions teach, ^[2] that the honour is not done to the Image for itself, but at the presence of the Image, to Christ, or Saint, whose Image it is.

• 1 God commanded to make Images.
• 2 Christ and Saints are honoured in their Images.
• ◦ Protestants have corrupted their English Bibles.

Another controversy Calvin here maketh, who from these words, Thou shalt not make, beginneth the second precept, so counting four precepts in the first table, and six in the second. But being no matter of faith, how they are divided, so all the words, and the number of ten commandments be acknowledged (for holy Scripture calleth them ten Exo. 34. v. 28. Deut. 4. v. 13. & 10. v. 4.) we will not contend: ^[1] but only as more reasonable we follow the common manner of dividing the first table into three precepts directing us to God, the second into seven belonging to our neighbour, approved for the better by S. Augustin (q. 71. in Exodum) and generally received of all Catholics; grounded upon this reason, among others, ^[2] because to make or have a picture, or similitude of any creature, to the end to adore it as God, were indeed to have a strange God, which is forbid in the first words: and so all that followeth to the commination and promise, forbiddeth false gods, and appeareth to be but one precept in substance. But the desire and internal consent to adultery, and to theft, differ altogether as much, as the external acts of the same sins; ^[3] and therefore seeing adultery and theft are forbidden to be committed by two distinct precepts, the prohibition of the internal desire, with mental consent to the same, doth also require two precepts.

• 1 The first table containeth three precepts, the second seven.
• 2 The first cannot well be divided.
• 3 The ninth and tenth are as distinct, as the sixth and seventh.